Las Cruces Woman Pleads Guilty In Embezzlement Case

A Las Cruces woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $200,000 from a bank where she once worked.

U.S. Attorney Ken Gonzales says 38-year-old Kristy Sanchez entered her plea Tuesday as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors. Under the agreement, she will be sentenced to 12 months in prison and will be required to pay restitution.

Sanchez has been released pending her sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

Prosecutors say Sanchez worked as a customer service manager at a Bank of the West branch in Las Cruces when the embezzlement occurred. She admitted that she manipulated bank records between 1999 and 2000 to conceal the embezzlement.